The Maryland Agriculture & Resource-Based Industry Development Corporation (MARBIDCO) is currently accepting applications for its Wood Products Industry Equity Incentive Grant Program.
Donor Name: Maryland Agriculture & Resource-Based Industry Development Corporation (MARBIDCO)
State: Maryland
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 12/15/2023
Size of the Grant: $50,000 or $100,000
Details:
The Wood Products Industry Equity Incentive Grant Program (WPIEI) helps Maryland wood fiber harvesters, processors and manufacturers to purchase new equipment or helps Maryland wood fiber harvesters, processors, and manufacturers to purchase new equipment or construct facilities so that they can engage in increased production and utilization of locally sourced wood fiber, enhanced commercial revenue generation, and retention and creation of new job opportunities.
In addition, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is providing an additional $100,000 in funding to target projects that focus on value-added wood products. A product that is value-added has incremental value realized by a wood processor as a result of:
- a change in physical state of the wood fiber;
- highly differentiated production or marketing of wood products; and
- an economic benefit realized from the production of biomass energy.
An ancillary objective of this program is to complement the financial services offered by private commercial lenders by leveraging funds to facilitate larger scale projects which will enable industry growth.
Commercial wood processing enterprises may apply for equipment and facilities project incentive grant funding to process or manufacture the following primary and secondary forest products: lumber, pilings, logs, firewood, mulch, pellets, shavings, veneers, flour, sawdust, plywood, millwork, CLT, and furniture (using Maryland wood). Forest harvesters are also eligible to apply.
Funding Information
- Minimum Grant: $15,000 and
- Maximum Grant: $50,000 or $100,000 for a value-added project.
Eligible Expenses
Grant funds and matching funds must be used for equipment projects and capital asset purchases that have a useful life of seven years or more. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Wood processing equipment and facilities
- Sawmills
- Dry kilns
- Skidders and in-woods chippers
- Primary and secondary wood processing equipment
- Optimization systems for maximizing fiber yield recovery
- Shavings, pellet mills, and sawdust dryers
- Other capital equipment that is designed specifically for use in the forest products industry
Eligibility Criteria
- Eligible applicants include commercial timber harvesters, and primary or secondary wood products processors. Applicants can include sole proprietorships, partnerships, cooperatives, corporations, and LLCs. Grant funds and matching funds must be used for equipment and capital asset purchases that have a useful life of seven years or more.
- MARBIDCO is seeking applications for projects or purchases that will improve operations and/or efficiency, increase productivity and/or workforce expansion, or aid in the pursuit of new markets. This should be evident in the project description and business plan.
- The WPIEI Program offers up to a 25% matching grant, up to the maximum amount allowed, for the purchase of equipment or facilities improvement. An ancillary objective of this program is to complement the financial services offered by private commercial lenders by leveraging funds to facilitate larger scale projects which will enable industry growth.
- For applicants with a focus on value-added processing, applications should demonstrate how the financial assistance will help support, stimulate and market innovative and creative ways to enhance production of value-added wood products. Value-added projects could include the purchase of a dry kiln or the production of biochar, for example. Sawmills and secondary manufacturers that will use grant funds to purchase equipment to improve optimization systems will also be considered. An example of this could include a 3-D log scanning coupled with computer-aided design that would determine the best sawing solution. A biomass energy-related project could also be eligible.
- Applications from prior year grant recipients of the Maryland Wood Products Industry Equity Investment Program may be evaluated at a lower priority to first-time program applicants.
For more information, visit MARBIDCO.
